U.S. farm groups launch ‘Farm Town Strong’ to battle opioid crisis
The two largest U.S. farm groups, with millions of members, have launched the “Farm Town Strong” campaign to raise awareness of opioid abuse and how to get treatment.
Opioid crisis hits agriculture harder than rest of rural America
Three out of four farmers and farmworkers say they have been affected directly by opioid abuse, according to a survey commissioned by the two largest U.S. farm groups.
Obama kept Vilsack in cabinet with a bigger portfolio
President Obama dissuaded his longest-serving cabinet member, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, from quitting in late 2015 by putting Vilsack in charge of the administration's efforts to stem heroin and prescription opioid abuse in rural America, says the Washington Post. Vilsack felt rural issues were ignored in Washington and, after seven years on the job, there was little left for him to accomplish at USDA.